Second Best
by Katamari of the Cosmos
Summary: Suzaku saw what was about to happen to one of his Seishi, and declared, “This must not happen.” Thus, a small change is made that leads to ever bigger consequences, until Nuriko finally gets a chance to prove that he’s worth more than even he believes. AU
1. Chapter 1

**Second Best**

Disclaimer: I have no claim on the characters, story or concept of Fushigi Yugi. All I own is a few DVDs, some manga, and this fanfiction.

Summary: Suzaku saw what was about to happen to one of his Seishi, and declared, "This must not happen." Thus, a small change is made. One that leads to ever bigger consequences, until Nuriko finally gets a chance to prove that he's worth more than even he believes.

* * *

Chapter 1: A Memory

The sun had long since passed its high point of the day, though it had yet to set over the palace in the capital of Konan. Servants were making their way through their duties somewhat slower than usual, enjoying the surprisingly warm weather that Suzaku had deemed fit to grant them today. For that, so were the gently born, relaxing outside and speaking with each other again and again about the weather. They walked sedately among the roads in the marketplace, through the weaving paths on the palace grounds, and often paused to just admire this last chance to see everything in full bloom before the days darkened into true wintertime.

Only one in the palace was in a hurry. Only one was running.

Korin was late for her meeting with the Emperor- something she had never thought would happen in her last year at the palace. She had been sent for to perform for him, as was the routine in the midst of each month, and she had been happy to comply- only that her choice outfit for the occasion was still soiled from last week, thanks to a foolish maid of hers.

So she had taken longer than she should have worrying about what to wear instead, and had thus been forced to rush through her bath. But her hair- her long, dark hair- had gotten wet in the bath- again, thanks to that foolish maid. And she refused to appear before the Emperor with dripping wet hair. It was… rude, and it was inappropriate.

After all, this was her ruler. Her provider. And, if she was fortunate, her future husband. She didn't dare risk annoying him.

Which was why she was running now, instead of going at the sedate pace of everyone else she saw. This was often the only chance she ever had to see her Emperor, and by Suzaku, she was not going to miss a minute of it. Even if it meant her appearing before him with a slightly flushed face and a bit out of breath.

She came to the end of a corridor, and screeched to a halt. Just about the corner would be the doors to the Emperor's throne room. She could run on the way here, but before him…

She took a deep breath, and then let it out.

"All right, Korin," she whispered. "We can do this. Just relax as before…"

She did her best to arrange her features into what she thought were the most appropriate, took another breath to calm her heart, then stepped around the corner.

"The Emperor has summoned me. Let me pass," she ordered.

One of the guards commented, "You're five minutes late."

"If I become six minutes late, I'll put the entire blame on you," she warned. "His Majesty has been speaking about replacing those who displease him fairly soon."

Which was a complete lie, of course. But it got the two of them to open the be-damn-

She shook her head sharply. _A lady doesn't swear, even in her own mind, _she told herself.

But sometimes, it was so hard, and she was so tired of being a lady…

Well, no time for that now. The doors were opening, and she had a performance to give.

The room was huge- perhaps a hundred paces long, mayhap forty or so wide- so she couldn't see the Emperor's face just yet. But she saw him there, sitting on his throne, with his chin resting lightly on one hand as he looked off into the distance.

In other words, he was ignoring her.

Her heart plummeted deep down into her belly at the realization. _This isn't good,_ she thought worriedly.

Not good indeed- this was the third time he hadn't so much as looked at the doors to see her entering.

_Steady,_ she told herself. Swallowing, she made her way forward.

The hall was long, and silent. The advisors that usually surrounded the Emperor like wolves around a wounded stag were not present. The only people here was the Emperor, herself, and some guards. And guards rarely had much to say to her, as she was meant only for the Emperor. To reach or touch for a member of the harem was death, at least until his Majesty chose a bride.

Finally, she reached the usual distance, and knelt to bow. "You r Majesty," she murmured respectfully.

The Emperor looked down upon her then, his distant gaze returning to the present. "Lady Korin, thank you for coming," he said politely.

Oh, Suzaku, but he was beautiful. It took a lot of effort not to suck in a breath and hold it. His hair was hidden away by that ridiculous hat, true, but the skin on his face was as smooth and evenly colored as ever. His nose was small, his eyes a warm brown to match his hair. Even in state robes- meant to make anyone look stupid in them- he seemed to radiate with good looks.

She managed to say, "It is always a pleasure, my Emperor. What would you have of me?"

"Always so eager to do your duty, aren't you?" he murmured. "I thought we might speak for a time."

"If that is what you wish."

"It is. Please stand, Lady. You." He glanced at a younger guard. "Get something for the lady to sit on."

The guard raced off.

Korin blinked. Well, this was new. She'd never been invited to sit and speak with him here before. She got to her feet quickly, brushing her dress out so it fell to the ground without so much as a wrinkle.

"How go the affairs within the harem, Lady?"

Korin tilted her head to one side. "Which ones, Your Majesty? The ones you are supposed to know about, or the ones you are not?"

A tiny smile graced his lips as he watched her. "Whichever group has become more interesting."

They spoke for a time about the gossip and rumors going about in the harem. Thrice more, Korin was rewarded with a smile for what she had to say. Once, she could have sworn those strong shoulders shook with suppressed laughter at something she'd implied- a miracle, as she had never gotten him to do that before.

Towards the end, she spoke briefly about her maid and apologized for taking so long to come.

"Do not worry yourself, Lady Korin. It does not do to fill your face with wrinkles when you are so young," the Emperor said.

Korin felt a bit indignant about that. "I am seventeen, Emperor," she protested.

"My point precisely." The Emperor then looked away. "And Lady Korin, please address me as Hotohori, if you will. I tire of being referred to as merely an Emperor."

Korin blinked again. "As you wish, E- Hotohori-sama," she stammered.

"I do." Then he sighed. "Anyway, do not trouble yourself about being late. I had something on my mind anyway."

"Oh?" Korin asked, still wondering at what he had just said. _Call him… by his Seishi name? What a thought! And how sudden! Could this be… Could I possibly…?_

He glanced back at her. "My advisors have been nagging at me about a certain issue as of late, and it always perturbs me when they all agree on something," he said.

Korin covered her confusion by glancing away, down at those silly shoes he had to wear. Only someone like Hotohori-sama could get away with wearing such shoes without being laughed at.

She knew very well what his advisors always nagged him about. That was why she was here. That was why the harem was here. That was the whole point of her coming to speak with him once a month- to find an appropriate bride and produce an heir as soon as possible.

"I see," she said, finally. Then she looked up and saw the sun was beginning to set. Still wondering what, exactly, was going on, she blurted, "Hotohori-sama, it is almost time for the evening meal. Perhaps I could perform for you before you eat?"

"What?" He blinked, as though he'd been woolgathering again. "I beg your pardon, Lady Korin, but what did you say?"

"I asked if you wished for my to perform before the evening meal?"

"Oh, no, I would not invite a lady to exercise and then have no appetite for tonight's meal," Hotohori responded.

Korin's heart plummeted again. "As you will, my Emperor." _Even though I perfected this dance just for you…._

"Do you feel anything changing lately?" Hotohori suddenly asked.

"Your Majesty?"

"Something has been… stirring. You know, of course, why I am known as Hotohori."

Korin nodded. "Because you are one of the god Suzaku's chosen."

"Just so, though sometimes I forget its significance, especially when I do not feel my symbol awakening."

To her surprise, the Emperor pulled his collar away from his neck. There, she saw the symbol flaring. It was a wonder she had not seen it before.

"Do you know what it means?" he asked her. Then, "No, I suppose you don't. It means that our priestess is coming."

"Priestess?" Korin asked blankly.

"Yes. Our Suzaku no miko will finally arrive and help us save Konan," he said. "From Kutou, from any invaders at all. We will be safe from invasion for a time after her arrival."

Korin simply stared.

After a moment, Hotohori ran a fingernail along his symbol, and murmured, "And, perhaps, she will save me too."

Perhaps Hotohori did not notice how suddenly open his expression was. Perhaps he knew and didn't realize how Korin felt about him. Or perhaps he knew all and just did not care. Whatever the case, Korin was suddenly confronted with a reality she hadn't thought possible.

Those warm, dark eyes were suddenly filled with a great hope, and a greater love…

_But it was not at her._

It was at this… this… this unknown Priestess of Suzaku. This stranger that no one had ever heard of, save from the legend. That no one knew, but that the warriors of Suzaku supposedly would upon sight.

There was rage, then. How dare he bring her here, to treat her so kindly and then- so bluntly, so carelessly!- throw this in her face. Not when she'd dreamed of him, when she'd gone out of her way to find out the foods he liked, the music he enjoyed, and what made him smile.

Then, there was sadness. She had never met the Suzaku no miko, but she had already lost Hotohori to her. And by the look in those eyes, she had lost Hotohori forever.

Thankfully, even when lost in thought, Korin was good at hiding what she truly felt, and so steeled herself to keep a smile pasted on her face. "It will be interesting to meet this priestess of ours," she said.

Again, Hotohori started. "Yes, yes it will," he agreed. "Lady Korin, thank you for coming. I must ready for the evening meal, as you said."

Korin rose, automatically bowed to him, and said the usual pleasantries one said to one's Emperor.

Then she walked, quite calmly, all the way to her quarters in the harem.

It was only then that Korin transformed from a cool, collected flower of the Emperor into a young boy, his face twisted with rejection and grief and hopelessness.

After locking his door, Ryuuen threw himself onto his bed and started to weep.

* * *

Nuriko stirred, feeling a gentle touch of something wet trailing down his left cheek. Tears…?

He would have frowned if he could have. That incident had happened months ago. Why was it that he was recalling it now? When he had finally admitted that it was Miaka he loved, and wanted to protect above all?

Why was the pain from that incident still so powerful?

But his thoughts were sluggish, and his body felt exhausted. Deciding he would figure it all out in the morning, he squirmed slightly into a slightly more comfortable position and let himself fall back asleep.

Never realizing that the memory had sprung from a beautiful, if frightened-looking figure sitting at his bedside, murmuring the whole tale in his ear.

So ends chapter one.


	2. Chapter 2

Notes: Well, it's nice to see my story's gotten over eighty hits, and one Royal blueKitsune was kind enough to leave a review. Thank you all for giving my first fic a look. I hope you enjoy the chapters to come.

Chapter 2: A Realization

* * *

Nuriko stirred once more, sometime much later than the last. Wherever he was had been cool earlier- now, he could feel the heat of the sun against his eyelids.

"Mm," he murmured, and moved to shift his body over onto one side.

If he hadn't been so weak, he would have screamed from the sudden pain.

His eyes snapped open, and he winced from the light that attacked them. Why was the sunlight so harsh?

Whimpering, he moved back into the position he'd been in, hoping that would make the pain go away.

The pain resided, though whatever it was continued to throb.

It was so immense that at first, Nuriko had no idea where, exactly, it hurt. It felt as though his entire body had been beaten to a pulp. His breathing, he realized, was harsh, and made an odd whistling noise where there had never been one before. His eyes hurt too much for him to open them again, and when he tried to lift an arm to give his eyes a bit of shade, he found that he was too weak to.

_What happened…?_ He thought through the haze of pain.

Suddenly, there was a door creaking open in the distance, angry whispering. Commands, though Nuriko couldn't understand what was being said for the life of him. He couldn't tell where the voices were coming from; everything except for his breath sounded muffled and far away.

He whimpered again, unable to find the strength to cry out.

Suddenly, someone was sitting by him, and a cool cloth was set on his forehead. The room darkened. He faintly heard someone whispering orders to someone else. Then he felt the cloth gently move from place to place all over his head, and then moving down to his neck as his clothing was gently moved aside.

Was this Mitsukake? For these were large, warm, and gentle hands that were tending to him. Far too big for Miaka, far too soft to be Tasuki or Tamahome…

After a while, his torso had been washed, and his clothes were being replaced. Someone tilted his head back, and something sweet and thick slipped down his throat. Not water, not sake… what..

"What..?" he managed after drinking the stuff.

"Shh," the someone soothed. "Rest."

That was not Mitsukake's voice.

Nuriko's eyes shot open again, though they still ached from the sun before. "H-h," he began.

A finger was placed on his lips. "Sleep," the voice commanded.

Nuriko was too tired to disobey. Once again, he found himself among the world of dreams and memories..

* * *

Korin felt a thrill tingle up and down her spine as Hotohori looked at her- really looked at her- for the first time in two months. He was approaching her as she dusted the dirt off of her small, white hands, trying to keep herself presentable.

She ignored the small girl and the man- Tamahome- protecting her, and focused entirely upon her Emperor.

Thrill became alarm, however, when he reached for her collar.

_He knows! _Ryuuen, hiding beneath Korin for the moment, whispered frantically.

She grabbed her own collar. "What are you doing!" she demanded.

Hotohori drew back, shocked. "I- I did not mean… It's just.." He pointed to his own chest. "There," he explained, a small flush coming to his face.

Admiring how the added red tinge set off his robe, Korin looked down. _Oh, bother._ She forced a smile. "You mean this?" she asked, revealing her own symbol.

For she too, was a Seishi. And she had a name that came with that symbol.

"I suppose I should have mentioned this, Hotohori-sama, but you were so busy with the Priestess," she cooed. "I am known as Nuriko, of the Suzaku Warriors."

"You!" Hotohori demanded, eyes wide with surprise. "But… why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

"As I said, you were always so busy, and the Priestess had yet to arrive. There was no need in bothering you over something so trivial, was there?" she asked.

"But…."

"So you're Nuriko!" the young girl exclaimed, hopping up as though she hadn't just been about to die from suffocation, being crushed, or worse. "I'm Miaka, the Priestess of Suzaku! Pleased to meet you!"

Korin- that is, Nuriko- watched as Miaka set out a hand, wondering what she meant by it. Deciding that it was some odd foreigner tradition of greeting, she decided not to call Miaka on the fact that no one touched a harem woman and instead walked away. Time enough for Miaka to learn that only the Emperor and the lady's maids could touch one such as she.

_Stop that,_ the part of her known as Ryuuen said sharply.

_I will not break bread with the one who stole my Emperor from me,_ she thought just as angrily. _I loved him, and she stole him before I was ever around._

Ryuuen, being just as in love with Hotohori was Korin was, remained silent within her. She took that to mean that her conscience wasn't going to argue with her for now, and instead turned her attention to Tamahome.

_Such a lovely boy,_ she thought, glancing back at where Miaka was standing, looking confused. _And the only one to protect this Miaka from her doom. Hrm. Perhaps…_

A plan grew into mind.

_If Miaka and this Tamahome… Maybe I'd still…_

Being ever impulsive, she embraced the plan wholly.

"I was really just aiming to save this handsome one," she said, kneeling down to embrace a very surprised Tamahome.

She smiled coquettishly at him, doing her best to ignore the pain that lanced through her at Hotohori's surprised and- was it possibly?- hurt expression.

* * *

Nuriko opened his eyes, sleepily staring up at the ceiling. 

What was with all these memories popping up when he was trying to get some shut-eye? Really!

And what was up with the ceiling? It was far too elegantly painted for it to be the roof of that inn he and the others were staying in…

Memory returned to him, all at once.

The immense pain in his leg, the aches all over his body, his weakness, all of it.

The image of a panicked Miaka shoving a frightened Mitsukake down next to him as Nuriko lay, whimpering from the pain, in the snow.

The memory of watching his own blood painting the beautiful snow red.

And that face…

That hideous face leering down at him, with hands- paws? Claws?- covered in Nuriko's blood…

This time, he did have the strength to scream.

"Nuriko!"

A door slammed open, and Nuriko found himself face to face with someone. He didn't recognize the person, nor did he want to. He tried, weakly, to shove him away. If he went away, maybe that face would go away too.

His leg flared up with pain, making him scream more.

"Doctor!" the someone cried out, grabbing Nuriko's arms and pinning them down to either side of him. Nuriko tried to kick at him, tears pricking his eyes because the sheets trapped him, because he couldn't get away.

Because he couldn't forget how that beast had slowly licked the blood off of one claw, then gone for him again even while he lay prone in the cold…

Someone else entered.

"Nuriko, it's all right, it's all right," the first someone tried to tell him. Nuriko continued to struggle.

This wasn't right! He wasn't in the inn, he didn't know these people, he was, he was…

A wild thought came to him. _I've been captured by Kutou._

He did his best to glare up at the person holding him down, determined to fight his way out of this, to get away from whatever poison they'd been feeding him to keep him weak..

And was shocked into stillness at the tears on that someone's face.

What…?

Slowly, Nuriko took in the someone's face as the other person started to wash him down with a cloth again, wiping away his sweat. Beautiful skin, evenly toned. A handsome set of clothes. Long, gorgeous, silken hair trailing down past the shoulders. And those eyes…

"Hotohori-sama?" he realized at last.

"Yes, yes," the someone whispered. "It's me, Hotohori."

Nuriko sagged down into his pillow in relief. "Hotohori-sama…" he whispered again.

"It's all right. Everything's all right. You're at the palace in Konan. Chichiri brought you here when Mitsukake had done the best he could for you," Hotohori soothed.

Chichiri. The monk had brought him all the way back here? "Because I.." Nuriko then tried to sit up. "That large rock!"

"You moved it. Miaka got in and received the Shinzaho," Hotohori assured the stricken young man. "Now will you please relax?"

"I…" Nuriko settled back down.

"Mitsukake stopped the blood flow, but your leg was… gods, Nuriko, it was a wonder you weren't already… already…"

Hotohori stopped, then spoke again a moment later. "It's going to take a while for it to heal fully. That's why you're here. So the others can go on while you heal up."

The other someone- a doctor, probably- came up to him then and offered a cup.

"Drink, Nuriko," Hotohori ordered.

He drank. He swallowed, and almost immediately he felt the powers of whatever drug this was taking effect. The pain began to dull, and he found it hard to keep his eyes open.

"Don't fight it, Nuriko. You're no good to all of us injured as you are," Hotohori instructed. "Just lie back and let yourself heal."

The violet-haired Seishi tried to tell his Emperor that there was no time for that, but when he opened his mouth to speak, he found that he just didn't feel like saying it anymore. Now that the pain was residing, he found that he was lying in a _very_ comfortable bed…

Time slipped away, and disappeared.

* * *

So ends chapter two. 


	3. Chapter 3

Notes: Many apologies for taking so long. But finals are over, the summer is here, and I have free time- and ideas- to spare. So I hope you will enjoy the latest installment.

Chapter 3: Awakening

* * *

When Nuriko awoke, the Seishi was surprised to see that someone was sitting by his bedside- someone he did not expect to see.

"H-" He stopped to clear his throat for a moment. His throat was dry and scratchy, and it took a few minutes before he could ask, "Houki?" without croaking.

"Sh," she said quietly, placing a hand lightly on the Seishi's forehead. "Let me get you something to drink first. I imagine you're thirsty after sleeping for three days straight."

Nuriko quieted, though he watched his old friend carefully. What was she doing here? Why was she here? He was happy to see her, true enough. However…

Her hand felt cool against his skin, her touch light, and he was pretty certain that he knew why- and it wasn't because of his fever or her fear of catching said fever.

Before, she had always smiled at him- even when she was upset or in tears. Now, her expression held nothing discernible when she turned to look at him. That was the mask he knew that she'd adopted once she'd come to the palace.

A lump grew in his throat, and it took a great deal of effort to swallow it back down as Houki held a small cup of water to his lips.

Because of his gender, he had now lost someone who'd been a friend and more in the harems.

He obediently swallowed the water down, which helped with the lump as well, and murmured his thanks. Houki nodded and sat back down, smoothing her skirts with one hand while continuing to watch him with that cool, dead expression etched across those beautiful features.

What to do? What to say? Nuriko would have loved nothing more than to pass out right now and never awaken again, for he knew that anything Houki would have to say would be true. She never exaggerated, even when in a fight; she'd say exactly what he was, and leave him torn to pieces over it. He couldn't argue back, he couldn't run away, he couldn't just beg for forgiveness, could he?

Paralyzed with indecision, he stared back at her, waiting for the dragon to rear its ugly head.

There was a small change in her expression. Lips pressing tightly together, she reached up one hand to touch her hair very lightly.

Nuriko tensed.

Then he jumped as Houki suddenly embraced him, holding him tight like one would a younger sibling who'd hurt themselves somehow. "Oh, Ko- Nuriko," she whispered. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Nuriko's eyes shot wide open. "What?" he croaked- or at least, tried to. All that really came out was a little gurgle.

Houki pulled back, just enough for Nuriko to see, with great relief (albeit more than a little wonder) that the mask had disappeared. Instead, two large tears were welling up in her eyes, her lower lip quivering ever so slightly.

"Why didn't you ever say anything? Weren't we friends? Family, even?" she whispered. "Was I that untrustworthy?"

"Houki-" Nuriko said, feeling the shame revive and grow inside of him. Slowly, he reached out a finger to brush away one of the tears that had escaped and was starting to roll down her cheek. "Houki, don't, you were never-"

Words failed him as she held onto him even more tightly, squeezing her eyes shut and whispering, "I- I admit, I was shocked at first, but…Even with that, Kor- Nuriko. Did you think I would have told someone?"

"I…" At a loss for words, Nuriko plucked at the back of her dress for a moment. The lump was back in his throat, stronger than before and quite thoroughly preventing him from making any noise past grunting for some time.

But neither of them needed to say anything, Nuriko realized, as Houki started to play gently with his braid. Acceptance was what he hadn't even dared to hope for from anyone trapped in a world such as this, where it was common to do all one could to look better than the other women in the harem. Friendship? Hah, that was about as likely as finding-

_A man dressed as a woman in the Emperor's harem?_ his mind wondered dryly.

But here both were; acceptance was in the way she had come to simply ask him why he hadn't told her before. And friendship was in the way she had embraced him and hadn't let go.

He finally sighed. "I suppose I should apologize to you," he murmured.

"Yes, you should," she agreed, wiping at a tear on her face with a small smile.

"I- when did you find out?" Nuriko wondered.

"Well, we all suspected something when you went out with the Emperor and the Priestess and others dressed as a man," she said. "But none of us were entirely certain until you came back with your clothes all ripped…"

Nuriko blinked. "You saw me when I was brought back here?" he asked.

"Yes. A few of us had offered to help the palace's healer with undressing you," Houki said, her smile turning wry. "I think you would have found amusement in that a couple of the ladies immediately went to inform Hotohori-sama that you were in fact male."

The young man couldn't help but smile at that. "Oh? And what did Hotohori-sama have to say about it?"

"He very politely informed them that that was why you'd been dressed in men's clothes when you had headed out with him and the others." Houki shook her head, and then paused, her smile fading.

"What is it?" Nuriko asked.

"About Hotohori-sama…" she said hesitatingly. "While you and the others were out searching for the Shinzaho.."

Nuriko hushed her, resting a fingertip lightly against her lips. "I think I know what you are about to say," he said. "Houki…" He paused.

Well, he supposed this would be a confession of sorts. He'd never seriously stated whether he loved Hotohori or not. Most of his declarations of love on the road had been simply to annoy Miaka.

He closed his eyes, searching for the words to say how he felt about Hotohori now. It had been months since they'd left. Months since he'd seen Hotohori, walked the palace grounds, spoken with Houki. He was used to an entirely different world now.

And…

Hadn't he given up on Hotohori? Had he ever really felt that way for a man he could never have in the first place? Hadn't he realized he loved-

"Miaka!"

"What?" Houki asked, looking up with a frown on her face.

"Miaka, is she safe? Has Hotohori-sama heard from the others while I was out? He said the boulder was moved out of the way, but what about- did they-"

An exhausted voice, heavy with the burdens its owner no doubt carried on his shoulders, answered him. "She is safe."

And, for the first time in weeks, Nuriko found himself facing his Emperor and fellow Seishi.

"Hotohori-sama," he began, moving to try and bow from his position.

"Stay where you are, Nuriko," his ruler replied, waving a hand. "If the doctor finds any of your wounds to have ripped open again, he will surely have my head, emperor or not."

Nuriko reluctantly leaned back into his former position, Houki helping him. Then, she stood to give Hotohori her own bow. "I was wondering if you would be able to make it away from the advisors today, Hotohori-sama."

"Saihitei," Hotohori corrected absently. "Or simply Hotohori. Honestly, you pick up all sorts of eccentricities from each other, don't you?" he added, raising an eyebrow at how both Houki and Nuriko had been absently reaching up to play with their hair at the same time.

"But as I was about to say… It was not a difficult task. As Miaka once suggested, pointing in one direction while exclaiming over what something could possibly be and then running in the opposite direction is quite the useful trick," Hotohori finished, giving a wan smile.

"I can imagine, Hotohori," Houki said, bringing down her hand and blushing slightly.

Nuriko, however, had frozen in playing with his own braid.

_S-sai? Hotohori? What on…_

He felt a flash of shock that he had asked Houki to address the Emperor by his birth name. Why would the Emperor..?

Then he felt his eyes widen as he recalled Houki only a moment ago, whispering, _"About Hotohori-sama… while you and the others were out…"_

Oh. Oh. So that was why she had appeared so cautious. Why she'd been in here alone with him first. He'd almost forgotten that he'd been about to reply…

"Have you told him anything yet?" Hotohori asked, turning towards Houki.

She shook her head. "Not yet. He was just waking up and wanted to know about whether the Priestess was all right."

A chuckle. "Always so protective, that's Nuriko."

But they couldn't possibly… well, why not, Houki was beautiful, and didn't Hotohori prize beauty over most everything else? That was his one biggest flaw, as Nuriko recalled. And he had to say Hotohori had great taste if Houki was indeed his chosen; she was sweet, reliable, trustworthy… and had quite the mind for background politics, as he recalled from his days in the harem.

But…

_No. I was going to tell Houki to go for it, wasn't I? That I was in love with Miaka._

He closed his eyes for a moment, letting Houki and Hotohori-sama's gentle teasing and laughter wash over him as he tried to reason things out.

_I became Korin to keep my little sister living, and it was while I was Korin that I was accepted into the harem. So it follows that it was while I was pretending to be that same girl when I fell in love with him, or thought I did… But he had rejected me, and Miaka needed me._

And so he'd moved on, leaving Korin behind little by little and becoming himself- Nuriko- for Miaka. And he'd left Hotohori-sama behind too.

Right?

"Kori- I mean, Nuriko?" Houki asked.

Nuriko blinked to see both his emperor and his lady wearing puzzled faces. He chuckled weakly. "I'm all right," he said, waving a hand and wincing. "Well, I will be anyway. Just sort of daydreaming I suppose. It's nice to be somewhere warm; that mountaintop was cold!"

Hotohori nodded. "About that," he said. "We wished to inform you of what we have learned from Chichiri since we brought you here." There was a pause. "Miaka obtained the Shinzaho safely."

"Thank-"

"But even after that, they were attacked and the Shinzaho was stolen by the Seiryuu," Hotohori continued over Nuriko's expression of relief. "They are on their way to retrieve it, last I heard."

Nuriko paused, then nodded. "I see..."

"Nuriko, I wanted Houki to tell you as you two are close, but as I am here…" Hotohori brushed some hair out of his eyes and glanced between the two of them. "Well, I had a meeting with Chichiri and Chiriko through a mirror, and we decided it would be best if you did not attempt to catch up with the others. You will remain here until the quest is over."

Nuriko felt himself sagging a little more into his pillows. "Oh," he murmured.

"Chichiri could very well have come back again to bring you there, but right now the Seiryuu are too close for anyone's comfort," Hotohori continued. "As you know, Chichiri can sense another person's energy; he's too integral to their survival for now to be sent off for even a moment. Even for a fellow Seishi."

Houki smiled. "Besides, it will take weeks, at least, for you to regain the strength in that leg, as well as be entirely healthy again. You've had naught but water and soups since you came here, and your legs are beginning to… let's see, what did the healer call it? Atrophy! That was it."

Nuriko nodded. Then he blinked. "Where… where will I stay in the palace?" he asked.

"True," Hotohori admitted. "As all definitely know now... there would be objections to you staying in your old quarters. Perhaps here?"

Houki shot the emperor a look. "Really, Hotohori," she admonished him. "Do you think Nuriko would want to stay in the same room he had to heal up in? No offense meant to you, Nuriko, but it will take weeks for the smell of sickness to leave, even after he is fully healed. He needs somewhere fresh and new, or will once his wounds can stay closed on their own."

Hotohori chuckled tiredly. "Is that the way of it, Nuriko?"

"I would not want to trouble you, Emperor," Nuriko muttered, glancing away.

Was it him, or did he hear a soft sigh? Then, sounding quieter, almost… hurt… Hotohori commented, "So formal today, Nuriko. Well, it is no trouble. You know as well as I how many empty rooms there are in the palace. We'll move you to one of your liking as soon as you can walk." Hotohori stood and moved to the door. "And now, I beg your pardon Houki, but…"

Houki stood to bow while Nuriko struggled again to sit up a bit more. "Hotohori?"

_Leaving so abruptly… well, there is a war afoot; he's got little time to hang around a sickie who loves-_

_Used to love him, USED to love him, dammit, _Nuriko thought angrily at himself.

"If you would please leave, there are some things I would like to discuss with Nuriko alone."

Nuriko opened his eyes- he hadn't realized they'd been closed- and blinked in confusion as Houki gave his braid one more gentle tug before doing as their Emperor wished.

"Until later then, Nuriko," Houki said with a small smile, closing the door behind her.

And then there were two.

* * *

So ends chapter 3. 


End file.
